Deputy Farrell said, “I was delighted to learn that the following primary schools have received the award, recognising their achievements in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) over the 2017/18 school year.

“To qualify for the awards, schools are required to keep a log of STEM activities that they have undertaken in the classroom throughout the academic year.

“Schools are awarded credit for visiting Discover Science Centres, carrying out their own experiments, going on STEM-related field trips, using digital technology and maths as part of their science work, hosting scientist and engineer speaker visits and holding a science open day in the school.

“Education is key to our ambitions as a nation. It helps us to grow a strong economy and gives everyone the opportunity to fulfil their full potential. This government has set the ambition to make Ireland’s education and training service the best in Europe by 2026.

“We are investing more in education than ever before to help us deliver on this ambition – over €10 billion in 2018, the biggest ever budget for education. Our capital budget has increased by 56% since 2012,” Deputy Farrell said.

Commenting on the awards, Minister for Business, Enterprise, and Innovation Heather Humphreys said: “I would like to congratulate all students and their teachers on their fantastic achievements to date.

“The SFI Discover Science and Maths Awards provide students with the skills necessary to learn more about STEM and inspire them to become the next generation of business leaders, creative thinkers and problem solvers.

“People working in science, technology and engineering in Ireland are leading the way in these growing sectors and it’s crucial to ensure uptake of STEM subjects at an early age.”